A Day with Zack Fair: Light Within
by Kikaromi
Summary: "Sora, I don't believe I CAN have light. I'm a SOLDIER; a cold-blooded killer." That was his answer. It'd never change...or so he thought. One-shot.


**Well hello there boys and girls of the internet! It's your favorite worker monkey, ITONAMI SHIRO~ 8D And I know what you're all thinking. Something around, "Why did she write this when she should be writing Love or Honor?" And I'd say, "Because my inspiration for Love or Honor is dieing/dead and I'm having a hard time actually writing it."  
><strong>

**Although THIS was fueled by lots and lots of inspiration thanks to my lovely friend Sora/Thalassa and the song "Dreams and Pride" from the Crisis Core soundtrack. Stay awesome Thally.  
><strong>

**Note: Sorry of Sora/Zack are OOC. I think I did Sora okay, but Zack I'm not sure. If either are OOC, it's for plot purposes. I apologize. Also, lines = scene change, if you didn't know.  
><strong>

* * *

><p>"Then make a decision." A solemn reply.<p>

"..." Even under pressure, thoughts never came. As for the SOLDIER member named Zack Fair, his mind drew a blank. Not in reality though; he mostly wanted to avoid a solid answer without regretting things later. The thought of actually deciding whether or not the duo made an epic plight weighed down more than the recent story he told about Sebastian.

Recalling their past sequence in Northern Cave, which involved defeating countless monsters, actually finding out if their chosen path wouldn't lead to an unexpected monster's den, and facing the truth about the light his partner kept implying was buried deep inside his heart, turning back sounded dumb, even for him.

Now his companion wore a look of annoyance on his face. Right from the start they knew this hesitation was indeed a ploy to stall for time. The more Zack stalled for time meant the more ethers he'd have to chug down to keep up his Aeroga spell, which was the reason the mako deep down in this abyss had no effect on him. Zack, on the other hand, apparently had a special tolerance for mako due to SOLDIER or whatever, though no one could last forever against what was said to be the lifeblood of the planet. "Zack, waiting here all day is inviting monsters to gobble us up. Give me your answer now, or else we're turning back."

"Alright Alright! Fine, I've decided we should keep going! Happy now Sora? Cause I know I'm not." Zack tried not to sound snippy, though his efforts were in vain.

Thankfully, Sora merely gave a suspicious smirk and went a ways ahead of his black-haired friend, more than likely happy Zack finally gave a decent answer since they entered the Northern Cave. He failed to do so when he mentioned Zack's inner light, which he denied the existence of. In fact, his response was around these lines, _"Sora, I don't believe I CAN have light. I've been on the wrong side too long, and it's too late to fix my mistakes. I'm a SOLDIER; a cold-blooded killer." _And ever since that answer crossed his lips, reasoning lay nary a scratch on the man's thick skull. So, the only way for him to realize how wrong his accusation would be in the face of reality to go alongside this hunt for a goddess.

Why did a mortal hunt for a goddess? Simple. Revenge played the role of the key. On the previous topic of those countless monsters riddled inside this cave, most of them chowed down on some former SOLDIER operatives Zack held dear in his heart, and every monster held a master deep within their origin. Besides him and Sora, none dared to venture past the 1/3rd mark in Northern Cave, so who else could control these beasts than the goddess herself? In plain terrain, the older male believed this goddess picked a bone with his friends and he wasn't going to take it sitting down. Not today.

"Zack...I hope you don't think I'm being too harsh. I want to focus and keep my guard us as well is all. We've got to watch each others backs from now till we step into her lair." Sora's facial expression softened, his tone of voice followed in pursuit.

The concerned atmosphere emanating from the teen brought Zack back down to Gaia, dismissing those doubts by showing off a light smile. Older people were supposed to worry about younger ones, and here they swapped places. Forcing Sora to feel any more remorse no doubt would nag at the remaining nerves not turned off by the countless mako draining into his system. That dizzy feeling also grew worse by the seconds, though he kept it a well-hidden secret.

After adventuring non-stop at the crack of dawn, the duo actually passed where Zack made it last time, and his most recent exploration reached about 3/4ths of this underground deathtrap. The deeper their group went on, the more intense mako levels rose. It served as a sign this cave connected to the core of the planet; mako an energy source of the planet, not to be trifled with.

A good portion of beasts should love the abundance of mako, although presently neither hind nor hair of anyone or anything showed up to greet the pair. _I sure hope Genesis' troops or Wutai's anti-SOLDIER monsters stayed way behind the 1/3__rd__ point. Facing them AND a goddess..._ Waves of doubt flowed directly into Zack's heart. Sora faced Scorpion Tanks alongside him for heaven's sakes with minorities of trouble, and those were considered warm-ups. Imagine the goddess summoning thousands - no millions - of her minions to stop the rag-tag group. Sora shouldered the burden of keeping worlds in balance, so if something went despicably wrong...

"If you plan to space out every time I forget to bother you, we're leaving anyway. I trust you as much as I trust all my friends, honest, though seeing you keep your head straight on the path might make this a bit better."

No. He'd make sure nothing went wrong. Too many died here by the hands of the goddess haunting the bottom if humans disturbed her...home in a sense. Though could a SOLDIER First Class and a Keyblade Master equate the strength of one who ruled over the planet longer than their ancestors? Or better yet, how about the monsters rumored to be guarding her dwelling? Their potential might rival-

"ZACK! PAY ATTENTION!"

Sora's command pierced Zack's eardrums. All doubt vanished temporarily to stare at those eyes which never faltered. It brought back memories of his former mentor – his second father, Angeal Hewley. A relationship sparked the second he joined as a lowly 3rd Class.

He remembered the times Angeal used to snap at him for goofing off when he turned his back on him for less than a moment.

He remembered the times Angeal spoke of the requirements of being a hero; it took dreams and honor.

He remembered the times Angeal watched over him, despite Genesis messing up the world itself for the "Gift of the Goddess," even if it eventually led him to his own demise.

If Angeal came back to see him now, he'd sigh and give him a pre-planned story to boost his confidence. He'd show off those eyes which never faltered thanks to the honor of SOLDIER, and the Buster Sword. But now, Zack carried on the will of this same prideful man. A laugh escaped the formerly troubled Zack. Sora mouthed a, "You're crazy" before coming face to face to his traveling companion. _Glooming can wait; I have a goddess to throw down a couple notches._

"Oh, it's nothing Sora. You reminded me of someone is all. He used to yell at me all the time for goofing off and spoke of dreams and honor. Sure you two aren't secretly related?" He teased, nudging the brunette.

"We could be. When I'm not busy saving the worlds from darkness, I'm busy keeping you in line, now aren't I? Sounds like a certain guy you're thinking of I'm sure!"

The two simultaneously grinned, breaking out into uproarious laughter. Common fact number one: Sora and Zack refused to pull off a serious attitude long enough to be registered as such. Even deep by the planet's core could they keep a grip on their true personalities. Ms. Goddess herself might be face palming, realizing these dorks showed to be a worthy challenge of her skill.

"Just wait, you'll be telling me something like...ahem...'If you want to be a hero, you'll need to have dreams and honor.'"

"Is that supposed to be me? Cause you're making me sound like some of those brainless muscle-men down at Olympus!"

"Hey! I trained at Olympus for some time you know! And look how I turned out!"

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please turn your eyes to Zackary Fair, future hero! The guy who can't even keep a straight face when faced by danger that'll knock him stone cold!"

"Like you're any better! Let me remind you, YOU'RE the one who kept yelling random stuff just because this place echoes! If you're supposed to be a hero, then I'm guessing that's not very professional, now is it?"

Sora paused dead in his tracks. "Zack?" What could he be thinking?

"Yes?"

"I'm glad to be your friend. Are you happy you met me, not just because I'm a hero?"

The teen could play a cryptic card at the drop of a hat, or so Zack came to the conclusion. Did Sora think he cared merely to care about the hero side of him? Or was it curiosity speaking? Reasoning troubled him to an extent, though hopefully this response had potential to ease the guilt.

"Of course! You're an awesome guy Sora, even when you're not busy saving the day and trampling heartless. How come you're asking this, here of all places?" Sora said everything for a reason, and this time he might spill the beans.

Our mystery keeper smirked, bounding off back on track. Of course he ignored the last sentence; this was Sora we're dealing with. His mind couldn't be penetrated; walls of steel blocked all sides. At the very least he acted pleased, so his reason must've been fulfilled, making it unimportant.

* * *

><p>If Zack never achieved SOLDIER First Class, this'd be the time to pass out. He regretted never asking Sora to cast an Aeroga on him too, since it felt he was breathing in the planet instead of oxygen. Yet, the strange twist of atmosphere wouldn't satisfy the nerves still hanging on to reality, although they remained shocked for one reason: they reached the planet's core.<p>

The path led to a dead end, but this dead-end became a resident of slight streams of the Lifestream, or the "blood" of Gaia. You'd have to be dead, a Cetra, or "inside" the planet to see this. Sora seemed hesitant to touch the green ripples, Zack the opposite by kneeling down to touch it. Warm...and calming; the impression it left in the wake. Almost imitating the feeling of lying outside on a summer's day in fresh-cut grass.

Crystals grew in abundance, giving off a natural emerald light illuminating this very spot. Taking out the fact mako was omnipresent, this could be a nice spot to relax and call it a day. Both of them traveled 24/7 in here, and that in itself took two – or three, could be more – days. All those potions and ethers the boys guzzled down made up for the lack of food, or who knows? Mako might be filling their stomachs to suppress hunger. Mako DID make normal people into super-humans, so why not make them even more super by fixing whatever weakness left open?

Sora focused on the natural lighting than the Lifestream, mostly because it pulsed when he came close to it. Northern Cave marked his first glimpse of a crystal and an exploration over twenty-four hours. More importantly...

"So, where's the goddess? I mean sure, this place is cool and all, but we didn't come here on a whim! We came here to show her killing innocent people isn't right, and to help you find your inner li-"

"...What was that last part?"

"N-Nothing! Playing with the echo effect is all! MS. GODDESS, WHERE ARE YOU?" Zack's skeptical gaze told him this facade did nothing but embarrass himself. How wonderful.

Sora and Zack spent a couple more minutes hanging around, growing tired of waiting for the no-show. Standing against the gauntlet of monsters down in Northern Cave counted as an achievement, so the older could leave satisfied. Sora agreed to come along for Zack's sake, though a bit of disappointment came at discovering a planet's core STILL never triggered the ravenette's mind to think, "Hey, I do have light in me."

"...So...I'm thinking this is about all we're going to get. Thanks for sticking with me till we made it this far. I appreciate it. Now lets-"

A crunch, like the sound of a bone snapping, left the boys dumbstruck...until Zack glanced to see what he stepped on. A voiceless scream escaped the "professional" SOLDIER. His black boots left shattered the bones of a corpse. A corpse Zack recognized quite well. No wonder monsters rarely showed their faces deep inside here...it all made sense now.

"Genesis." Subconsciously, he hoped – no – prayed the person before him served the role as a copy. The real Genesis Rhapsodos still roamed Gaia alongside Angeal...wait no! Genesis couldn't be dead. Even if he almost threw the world into chaos...deep down, Genesis meant a lot to him. As a higher-up, his mentor's best friend – heck, even his OWN friend.

"Are you alright? You're..." Crying. Yes, a cold-blooded killer was in the midst of crying; shedding tears for a guy who attempted to take his life in the name of the "Gift of the Goddess." The irony. Genesis' death meant no more copies, no more Hollander, no more 1st Class SOLDIERS, and...no trace of Zack's old friends. Sephiroth: Gone. Angeal: Gone. Kunsel: Gone. Now Genesis...gone.

"...We're done here. Let's go." Sincerity blanketed the heart-wrenching pain drowning him.

"Zack...you sure?"

"This is all I needed to see. Waiting days on end for a no-show goddess won't serve anything but driving me insane. Not feeling so hot anymore, and sitting around in this mako hole won't do me any favors."

Sora nodded silently and proceeded to follow Zack's lead on the journey to the outside world. Breathing actual air and seeing the sun, it sounded if it were merely a dream. And Zack felt positive Sora would love to stop filling himself ether by ether to stay sane. Biggest thing to do on the way back: think of a valid excuse why they left for half a week and how come the duo refused outside help. Kairi and Aerith respectively required elucidation on spot. Girls...such worrywarts.

"Get back!" Zack jumped back, sliding back to Sora's side.

Something descended from seemingly nowhere (mostly due to the cave having walls harder than diamonds and this thing came from the SKY), "staring" the trespassers in the face. So, the goddess waited for them to try leaving before she came to stop them. It'd be nice if she left a hint so they didn't have to pace around for an hour.

_'Zack Fair. Sora. You've made a journey worth a hundred souls; all to throw it away?' _Both stood in awe. It, She rather, graced their presence in full battle-armor exquisitely designed, She held no shame to show She ruled over Gaia as a goddess. And Her power...a menacing aura lingered, freezing both of them close to stiffness. Right from the start, this would be the ultimate test of their fighting skills, and a test to see how well both of them pulled off a co-op team. If when She spoke, it read straight from your mind, you KNEW the source commanded power beyond imagination.

Speaking of power, She showed her potential in seconds; shoving Zack straight into a nearby mako crystal, pieces flying around upon contact. Sora gasped, not enough time to react before Minerva smacked Sora right next to his friend. Her movements proved to be phenomenal; Zack barely saw Her when She tossed Sora around like a toy. As much as his SOLDIER pride cried out, the chance to defeat a being faster, smarter, and stronger then both of them was to combine their powers as a team.

"Sora, wait for me to give a signal. She won't expect us to work together, or so I'm hoping." Zack removed himself from his spot on the wall, cracking a smile.

Sora rose back to his feet seconds after Zack, who dared to try attacking the goddess head-on. She pushed him back several times due to the huge gap in strength between them. However, his determination to avenge all those who made Northern Cave their final resting place led him to keep his ground. Did this coordinate with the special plan he mentioned before blindly running in full force...?

"Sora!" Zack motioned him to intervene. The teen remained clueless as to exactly what his friend called for him to do. Hopefully the move he'd pull off.

Assuming the role as a clever distraction, the older kept up his assault until he heard the younger about to join the fray. Zack withdrew real fast as Sora came flying in right over his head, holding onto his keyblade while rolling in midair, a thunk ringing from the goddess' armor. Oh, but their plan went farther then a simple tornado shot. Zack quickly recovered, pushing Her back with swift strikes. Sora, meanwhile, charged up a hefty amount of light to release a stream of orange beams dancing around, trailing the goddess till she hurriedly dismissed them.

_'I see...the two of you can execute teamwork despite the differences among you. Perhaps taking both of you seriously might be in my best interest. Thus, now that we're on equal footing, you have earned the right to know my name: Minerva.' _Minerva...chuckled? Sounded if She were pleased, though under the stuff she wore you couldn't quite tell. However, focusing on battle claimed attention.

Sora defended his comrade in the blink of an eye, since the goddess almost stuck him dead center using her spear, and the thing equaled to be taller than both of them. The defense was short-lived; a effortless jab to the Keyblade sent the two colliding together. Dozens of feathers sharper than knives spontaneously flew down to rain down on their parade. "Aeroga!" Winds collided with the feathers, redirecting them in several other directions; secondly serving a secret purpose as well.

"Gotcha!" Those same winds turned a supposedly heavy sword into an oversized boomerang, barely missing its mark. Zack wasted no time returning his honor to the rightful spot, utilizing the last bits of Sora's Aeroga to do a quick spin, gaining a supreme amount of force to smack back Minerva's lunging weapon.

To be pinned twice in a row doubled another onslaught, and blocking magic and combination alike wouldn't win Minerva victory. Her specialties lye unlimited to physical dominance, and of mental to counter those gifted by it's knowledge, as Her previous visitor demonstrated.

A mini earthquake erupted without a solid cause, catching the heroes off-balance. Ice crystals sprouted beneath their feet; Sora foresaw a comeback in enough time to dodge roll in the nick of time, however Zack...did not. The crystal left cuts all over his uniform, blood trickling out a few of them. A silent curse from Zack Fair, to be properly addressed thanks to a ray of thunderbolts.

"Zack!" Sora worriedly shouted. He rose up from the ashes and acted alright, though it was more fake than crocodile tears. A high-esteemed SOLDIER tired out just as any normal human being, cover it or no. This marked the beginning of Minerva's true skills, so a better display against Zackary and he'd join Genesis...wait, no! No more people would die by the hands of Northern Cave and it's master.

Sora did his best to be a decoy so Zack recovered enough to fight back for a bit longer. Dodging fire blasts, ice coffins, and lightning strikes cost enough to save a certain guy he cared about, and a collection of others waiting patiently back on Destiny Islands who also cared.

Luck decided to play along, his battered companion sipping a potion real fast to remain decent in combat. As pride loved to stand tall, Zack hardly budged on taking the heat, as the plan centered around the brunette slicing and dicing as the ravenette safeguarded to the best of his ability. Time and time again, a perfectly executed combo struck Minerva, becoming an annoyance.

_'You've both proven yourselves capable to handle the fiercest of life's dangers. Let's see if you can stand after a god shows you their ultimate technique'_

A ring of runes surrounded Zack, holding him in place. He struggled to swing the Buster Sword and dispel the magic, though the runes slipped onto his arms and rendered them useless. Bursts of energy shaped like arrows shot at the defenseless man, knocking whatever sense the potion restored back unconscious. Above him, Minerva revealed the true meaning of Her spear. To be honest, it wasn't even a spear. It was a giant arrow, and the thing on Her back was the biggest bow known to human history. _'This is your final judgment, Zack Fair. You fought valiantly, so it pains me to see your end. Farewell.' _Her arrow came flying towards him, so fast he closed his eyes so he didn't see it.

Movement came back to his arms...but why? Did her arrow knock him stone cold, and now he sat on the verge of the Lifestream? ...No, he'd feel the collision, even for a brief moment. Opening his eyes hesitantly, the answer to his question became clear. Minerva's arrow couldn't ever reach him because...it reached Sora instead. The pointed side dug through his defender's side, inches from penetrating around the same area. "Sora! Why?" Zack shouted despite Sora being literally a few feet in front of him.

Minerva removed Her arrow by beckoning it forward, tossing Sora behind him against naturally formed mako crystals. She deliberately ignored Zack, who stood there in shock thanks to Sora sacrificing himself to save him. No one ever did that before. Always happened vice versa. _He could've escaped, but he stayed to protect me. But why? I-I don't understand... _In combat, one thing he was always told is "put yourself before everyone else." But Sora, he put himself second...why?

Farther back, Minerva stared down at the Keyblade Master. Such selflessness, to put yourself in the hands of fate to shield besides oneself. _'Sora, although you reign from a distant realm, fate's told me about your perilous journeys around the universe, saving others, conquering the darkness. If only there were more like you...then a task as much of a burden as mine wouldn't be so perilous.' _Regret in her voice hinted she actually hesitated to harm the lad before her. Though what else could a goddess do when a mortal trespassed in forbidden areas besides execute? Nothing, that's what.

"NO! STOP!" Zack wobbled trying to stand, the nerves in his legs shut down and the adrenaline fueling them ran short. A risky blow to the back, easily deflected and sending him flying back to square one. He reached the limit of SOLDIER, the price...the life of Sora. He was too weak to stand, to fight. Kairi would hate him after this. Everyone else too. Coming here was his bright idea.

Zack dropped to his knees in tears. The dream to become a hero...where on the path led his astray? Did his resolve not cut the deal? _I want to save Sora. I wanna be a hero. _Words gave him hope; hope to withstand life's torments. _I wanna be the kind of hero everyone knows to count on, no matter what kind of circumstance. It'll happen someday. _

_** Yes, you'll be a hero. **_Another voice in his mind...but it wasn't Minerva. Who could it be? _**Take your time, there's no need to be afraid. Saving a friend is one step, and the rest will follow. Be strong, and hold onto the light. **_What light? He lacked- _**Doubt yourself not. Call on it. Beckon the light inside you; not to get revenge, but to save those who need you. **_Weird voice man couldn't give him directions, it'd be too simple. _**Be a hero. **_And frankly...the voice didn't need to. A bright and fuzzy feeling enveloped his body, almost making him smile. Light...

While Zack poured all of this mysterious power into his blade, Minerva paused and n switched focus to the growing threat behind Her. Zack Fair possessed tremendous power for a human before, but suddenly it ramped off the scale!

"For all those...who died here..." Such willpower...could it be possible?

"For Sebastian…and for Genesis..."Did one man bear vitality surpassing even the gods themselves? Or...was this the embodiment of his desire to protect those close to him?

"And to protect...the only person who still...believed in me even after...I gave him reason for doubt." Yes, this strength was born between the bonds of two individuals, assisted by righteous hearts.

"Minerva…I'll show you. Show you what happens to those who mess with my friends!" Stamina not present till evoked fought back the pain swelling all around. The buster sword weighed no more than a feather in his grip. A retaliation thought never to be possible, yet awakened nonetheless.

_CLANG! KRINK! _Metal struck metal as one cracked, falling to pieces. Light swallowed not limited to the surrounding area, but all throughout Northern Cave. Monsters recently reborn by Minerva's influence dropped to the ground, fading into the same green ripples back by Zack and Sora. All the denizens of the colossal cavern faded back into the Lifestream at the loss of their master.

* * *

><p>Minerva's dwelling returned to peace. The goddess…disappeared alongside the light; defeated. Never to return. Blessed silence graced the caverns. A peculiarly large sword lay implanted in the ground, the mark of a battle. Pieces of battle armor littered the earth, left in chips big as ants. Crimson liquid completed the scene, their sources still as death.<p>

Twitch. A gloved hand slowly slipped backwards. As did a leg, then the other. Soon a whole being sluggishly came back to life, using the sword stabbed into the ground as support. _What happened...I remember adventuring into Northern Cave, and then-!_

"Minerva!" Zack called out. What remained of Her were the chips of armor he sliced off using that weird light. Did he win? No, a goddess of Her capability didn't go down, even when her opponent racked up force to rival a god. And that smile...

Wait, why was he thinking about this? Sitting here at the planet's core brought health issues deadlier than missiles! And what about Sora? The brunette remained stuck between mako crystals, identical ones to when Minerva pinned him down. Zack, resorting to disgracing Angeal's honor by misusing the Buster Sword as a cane, limped to Sora, shaking him violently.

"Sora! C'mon, I know you can hear me! Sora!" No response. Listening closely, there were signs of breathing. Still alive. Took about most of the weight off his shoulders. "Not gonna wake up to congratulate your buddy Zackary for slaying Minerva, who's supposed to be the goddess of Gaia? You're no fun!"

An exasperated sigh welcomed a sarcastic frown. Sora fought so often, he needed a good night's rest. Or morning, the light blinded them, and their senses did shut down for a portion of time. Regardless, Sora required waking up when he felt like it. Minerva's smile meant she willingly shooed the monsters away, or Zack theorized.

"That..."

"Hmm?"

"That...was...**TOTALLY AWESOME!**" Zack hardly saw both Sora waking up and his answer; he fell over as puppies did due to exhilarating horror.

"Awesome? Minerva almost killed you, and me too! Call me crazy, but dieing isn't cool!"

"I know! Minerva was right above me and I was thinking, 'oh man, this can't be it,' but then you went 'NO!' and saved the day! I consider THAT awesome." Sora laughed before continuing, "Also, how come you automatically resorted to? Did you use a special materia?"

"No...well maybe, but most likely not. I'm not sure myself, but when Minerva almost landed a final blow, I wanted to stop her so badly I kinda...did."

An evil "Sora snicker" cracked, and it meant trouble. Zack fully comprehended his thoughts, and quite frankly, they were distasteful. It'd revive a topic he attempted to end with a hasty answer.

"Hey Zackary~" His full name meant bad news, especially when it came from Sora.

"I don't wanna hear it."

"I think there's a special something inside you~"

"Say it, and I'm chopping you into Sora nuggets."

"You've got-"

"ANY MORE AND I'M LEAVING YOU HERE!"

"You've got light in you!"

"NO I DONT!" Zack flailed as if a little boy got his toys taken away. A low growl sounded as well. Sora found humor in tormenting him about the fake light inside him. Such a thing wouldn't exist in a guy raised solely to kill those opposing his master or himself. Light resided in those who protect others and save innocent lives from people like SOLDIER. Not the other way.

"You can't deny me this time! I've got solid proof!" Another growl, but he let Sora go uninterrupted, "For one, everyone has an inner light. Sometimes you just have to search deep inside yourself. Also, isn't it rather convenient that mystery power came right when you wanted to save me! That's a GOOD quality, you know! So guess what saved us? YOUR INNER LIGHT!"

Zack smiled. Sora gathered information Sherlock Holmes would be jealous about. As a friend, he knew the ways to push people's buttons. "My inner light huh? I doubt that's it. I wanted to be a hero and save the day is all; though hearing you repeat yourself is entertaining, my friend."

Zack gifted Sora with a playful nudge before slipping into deep thought. This "light"...could it be the reason Minerva briefly showed Her face and showed a smile? Sora forgot to mention Her ever taking off the helmet thing, so figuratively speaking She hid Her face to all but him. Most peculiar.

"Thinking bout something Zack?" ...And how Sora read minds ALSO happened to be peculiar.

"Nah, just remembering some stuff. It'd bore you." A baseless lie, although whatever worked.

_ 'Continue to grow stronger, Zack Fair. When you reach your full potential, you'll realize your true role. Until then.' _

* * *

><p><strong>This baby's gonna be the first of many one-shots, so stay tuned!<br>**

**And for your usual ending, Rates/Reviews are always appreciated.**


End file.
